Website help

[saturn4me]

Hi all!

Some time ago somebody posted a link on this forum of a website that, if you put in your (Or any, for that matter) scope, eyepiece, barlow etc then click on any object in the sky it will show you a realistic view and size of what you should see with the scope etc that you entered.

It was a fantastic website but i can't find the link on the forum.

Has anybody else seen it or could pass on the link?

Thanks everyone!

[Cornelius Varley]

I can't post the link but if you search on google for 12d string astronomy you should find it.

Peter

[saturn4me]

Thanks Peter!

As soon as you said it was 12d string i knew it was that one straight away!

Brilliant, thanks alot!!

[jason.p]

Thanks for that. Very useful and interesting site

[LukeSkywatcher]

There is also this one:

http://www.telescope-simulator.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=45&Itemid=57

[brantuk]

Try googling CCDCalc as well - you can download and install it for free and don't need to be on the web to use it.

[Brighton Belle]

I can't post the link but if you search on google for 12d string astronomy you should find it.

Peter

I found it and had a look, is it accurate? If it is, I will be well chuffed with my little scope, and it will be useful for vicarious viewing whilst waiting for Sussex to emerge from this never ending grey blanket

[LukeSkywatcher]

I find with these types of sites, the view they offer you are all under IDEAL conditions. Since we rarely get ideal conditions in this part of the world, i'd take the view they give you with a pinch of salt, but they are not really that far from accurate.

I must admit that the following image is pretty much what i see with the details i have entered into the site: (click image to enlarge).

If it is, I will be well chuffed with my little scope

A 200mm Dob is hardly a little scope.............but i know you are only speaking affectionately. My 200mm SCT really is a little scope but with BIG attitude.

Haha my Heritage 130P is an even smaller scope with just as much attitude.

[Cornelius Varley]

I found it and had a look, is it accurate? If it is, I will be well chuffed with my little scope, and it will be useful for vicarious viewing whilst waiting for Sussex to emerge from this never ending grey blanket

The website will show you the field of view of a particular eyepiece / telescope combination, but not what you will actually see through the eyepiece. Caneras are more sensitive to colour than the human eye so the most you see will be feint smudges with little colour.

Peter

[saturn4me]

Thanks everyone for your help!

I remember the 12d string site was fairly accurate and will give newcomers a "General" idea of what they may see with a setup of their choice.

I think it's to be used as a rough guide and not as a certainty.

Thanks all!

[LukeSkywatcher]

The website will show you the field of view of a particular eyepiece / telescope combination, but not what you will actually see through the eyepiece. Caneras are more sensitive to colour than the human eye so the most you see will be feint smudges with little colour.

Peter

But the eye can detect colour on planets (for most people anyway). Yes the colours wont be as vivid visually as in the image i posted but They will still be there. The thing i do like about these sites is that they do give a good representation of size and FOV at the EP.

I just input the data for my 8SE using an 8mm Hyperion EP using Joop as a target and i was blown away. It was the size of a marble held at arms length.

(click to enlarge image).

My bad...................thats using a 2x barlow. I dont use barlows these days. Maybe i should start again, but i do have a 4mm EP. But Joop would simply race across my FOV at that magnification.

[Cornelius Varley]

Planets will show colour, DSO's tend to be like their nickname "feint fuzzies"

Peter

[LukeSkywatcher]

Planets will show colour, DSO's tend to be like their nickname "feint fuzzies"

Peter

Absolutely. DSO's are usually observed in shades of grey. Some people visually see a hint of colour in a couple of them but thats not the "norm" for most of us.